Visitor&#39;s partition for jails and the like



Oct. 23, 1928.

G. J KOSTERS vIsI'roRs' vPARTITION FOR JAILs AND THE Lum Filed Aug. 8, 1927 s sheets-Sheet 1 G. J. KOSTERS S PARTITION FOR JAILS AND THE LIK" Oct. 23, 1928.

VISITOR lFiled Aug. e,

1927 3 Sheets-Sheet o o o ooooooo .q |o o o 000 OWOOQODOOO o o om n o /N VEN TR.

Oct. 23, 192s. 1,689,172l

G. J. KosTERs VISITORS PARTITION FOR JAILS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug.. s, 1927 s sheets-sheet s I fz'g- 5- Patented 0st. 23, 1928.

, g 1,689,172 PATENT @OFFICE GEORGE J. KOsTERs, OE COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, AssIGNOR To TI-I'E `STEWART IRON woRKs COMPANY, or COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION or KENTUCKY.

VISITORS PARTITION FOR JAILS AND THE LIKE. l

Application led August 8, 1927. Serial No. 211,466.

In jails and the like there is usually a prisoners corridor and a visitors station, having a partitionbetween them, so arranged that the prisoner and visitor may communi- Vcate with eachother through the partition.

It is the object of my invention to provide novel means whereby this may be vaccomplished in such manner that the passage of objects between the visitor and the prisoner is prevented; further, to provide novel means for preventing` unlawful or undesired passing of objects, such .as files or other instruments, or other objects which might be unlawfully used by the prisoner, and of drugs, liquor and the like, by the visitor to the pris- Oner.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2, `showing an exemplifying y prisoners corridor and visitors station having'my improved partition therebetween.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, partly in section on the line 2 2 of 1, and partly broken away, showing` my Improved partition. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation showing my improved partition, with various portions of the layers broken away, to expose the construction of the same.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the plane of the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same, taken in the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

' Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the same, taken 1 in the .plane of the line 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a detail of the same, taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross-section, taken in the plane of the line 8 8 of Fig. 9, showing a modilication of my improved device.

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-section of the same, taken in the plane of the line 9 9 of Fig. 8; and,

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of an intermediate layer exemplifying a further modiication of my improved device.

The arrangement of the prisoners corridor and the visitors station is Optional, depending on the floor plan of the jail. The prlsoners corridor is instanced at 21, and the visitn ors'st'tition at 22. My improved partitisirjA nated the front plate, or the plate at the visitors side. The plate 31 is shown extending the'full height of the partition and may be one ofthe main plates of the partition. Each of the plates is provided-with a perforated portion 33 preferably extending over a small area thereof, which maybe instanced as ten and three-quarters inches in width and four and three-quarters inches in height. There may be a number of these perforated portions. Three of the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 arranged side byy side across the width of the visitors station. The perforated portion may be designated the oral p0rtion of the partition.

The holes 34 in the front plate and the holes 35 in the rear plate are in non-registry with each other. The holes in each plate are 0H- set with relation to the holes in the other plate. The relative 'thickness of the plates, the diameters of the holes, and the offset distance between the holes, are preferably such, thatv the inner ends of the walls of said holesl and a right line drawn across-the same will intersect, as shown bythe dotted lines 36 in Fig. 4, so as to prevent an object being passed through said holes ina right line.

The respective vplates are also provided with openings 37, l38, -which register Vwith each other. These are visual Openings. They are preferably located vin adj acency to the oral portions of the partition, and may be of similar area. Three sets'of thesevisual openings are shown in'Figs. 1 and 2. A shelf 39 supportedon brackets 4() may be secured to the partition under the oral openings.

An intermediate layer 41 is located between l .the perforated portions of the front plate and rear plate. Thisintermediate layer is provided with perforations 42, and recurrent elevations 43 and depressions 44, shown formed by corrugatingthis intermediate layer. The corrugations may be of desirable width. The depths of the corrugations are preferably such that the intermediate layer lls the space.

bet-weee the frent'piate 'and the rear plate. ,l

' An intermediate layer extends throughout the Cil area of each of the opposite perforated portions of said plates. It extends across the inner ends of the holes in the perforated portions of said plates. It forms recurrent walls extending transversely between thel plates and, in connection with the walls of the holes in the plates, interferes with the passage of objects through the partition, while permit-` ting the voice to pass therethrough, so that the visitor and prisoner may 'converse with each other. The diagonal portions of the intermediate layer are shown in the planes ofthe dotted lines 36in Fig. 4.

The'intermediate layer 41y is instanced in Y intermediate layers 41. To accommodate this greater thickness, the plate 32 is provided with forwardly sloping portions 46, 47, to form an outwardly bulged portion 48. Horizontal filler bars 49, 50, are provided between the plates. Vertical iillerbars 51 are provided at the respective ends of the oral and visual sections. The verticaliiller bars are provided with enlargements 52 to till the bulged portion 48 of the front plate.

Intermediate vertical filler bars 53 Vare located between the adjacent edges ofthe intermediate layers 41, and extend between the lower horizontal filler'bar 49 and the lower one of the intermediate horizontal filler bars 50. Intermediate vert-ical filler bars 54are located between the adjacent edges of the glass sheets 45, and exten-d between the intermediate horizontal filler bars 50. These bars are preferably of steel 'or resistant material. They form marginal walls for the spaces in which the intermediate layers 41 and sheets 45 are located, the areas of the spaces thus formed being greater than the areas of the perforated portions and openings in the plates 31, 32.

These marginal walls are' preferably offset with relation to the margins Aof the perforated portions and the walls of the openings in the front plate and the rear plate, for forn'iing Vmarginal recesses 56 in which the margins of said layers 41 and sheets 45 are received. A cushioning film 57 of 'cement may be located between the margins of the sheets 45 and the walls of the recesses in which they are received. i Y

' The bars 49, 50, 51, are rigidly fixed to the plate `31, as by rivetsf58. The plate 32 is secured to the bars preferably insuch manner as to be capable of removal, as by countersunk screws 59, the countersunk screws being threaded into the bars, but not piercing the plate 31. This provides for security, as a guard is always present during the presence of a visitor, andfit permits removal of the plate 32 for repair or replacement of dai'naged parts, and for cleaning` purposes. Y

The transparent sheets 45 are preferably arranged in a row above the series of oral portions 33 for convenient relation to the eyes and mouth of the visitor and prisoner at the respective sides of the partition.

vInstancing the structure as an example, but

. not as a limitatio-n, it may be stated that the plate 31 is a plate'y of tool-proof steel of one-v .quarter inch thickness; that the yplate 32 is a steel plate of three-sixteenths inch thick# ness;- that the filler bars 49, 50, 53, 54, are threeeighths ofan inch thick, which is the depth of the space between the plates 3l,V 32 at the oral portions thereof; that the holes 34, y35,.are round holes three-eighths of an inch in diameter; that the intermediate layer 41 is a steel plate of No.Y 22 B. & S. gauge, and Y that the perforations therein are three-thirtyseconds of an inch in diameter and their cen- Y ters are seven-thirty-seconds of an inch apart, and that they are in staggered relation in the layer; that the holes in each of the plates 31, 32, are two inches apart at their centers,

and that the holes in each plate are offset equidistantly with relation totheholes in the other plate, the holes in each of the plates being opposite the body portions equidistant between the holes in the other plate; that the corrugations in the intermediate layer have the centers of their elevations or crowns on each side of the plate two inches apart, and that this intermediate plate is so placed between the front plate andthe rear plate that the crowns of the` intermediate plate register with and are arranged crosswise of the holes in the respective outer plates.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will 'be noted that,

lwhen so arranged, right lines 36, drawn to pass through adjacent openings in opposite outer plates, intersect the ends of the walls of the holes therethrough, and prevent the passage of an object in a right` line through adjacent holes. It will be further noted that the slanting portions 60 of the intermediate layer between adjacent holes in opposite outer plates, are substantially iny line with such right lines drawn through said adjacent holes, forming an interfering wall throughout the distance between said holes, preventing penetrating of the partition or the Vpassage of' any object therethrough.

Referring to said Fig. 4 it will be further noticed that, as-indicated by the lines of arrows 61,the voice of the visitor at the vis itors station is projected through Vthe hole in the plate 32 andthrough the perforations yin the crown of the layer 41 extending across said hole; that said voice is reflected between the proximate walls formed by the inn er faces of the plates 31, 32, and through the perforations l2 in the slanting portion 60 of the layer between the hole 3d and the hole 35, the voice rebounding through the perforations in the crown ot the intermediate layer extending across the hole 35, to the prisoners station. The prisoners voice is conveyed in reverse direction to the visitors side of the partition.

I have in Figs. 8 and 9 shown a modification 0i" my improved device, in which the intermediate layer 62 is formed oit a perforated sheet o" steel having oppositely extending` depressions, torining bulges 68, 64, the crowns of which register with the respective holes in the opposite plates 31, 32, so that there is a crown extending across each hole in each of the plates, with perforations 65 in the intei-mediate layer registering with each ot said holes, and slanting portions 66 ot the intermediate layer extending between holes in one of the plates and adjacent holes in the other of the plates.

1 have in Fig. l0 shown a further modification ot my improved device, in which the intermediate layer 7l is formed ot pertorate wire mesh which is corrugated similarly to the intermediate platell, as shown by t-he elevations 92 and depressions 93, the interstices 94 between the wires serving as the pertorations for this intermediate plate or layer. 1t may be stated as an exemplification but not as a limitation that the wire mesh may be of No. 18 B. & S. gauge wire woven eight to the inch.

My improved construction provides ready means whereby the visitor and prisoner may see each other through the partition, and also converse with each other through the partition, other communication however between the two, such as passing of saws or other tools, narcotics and liquor, being however prevented, and provides means ttor oral communication which are integral with t-he partition. lt also provides a compact and exceptionally` strong structure for the purpose described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A visitors partition ot the character described, comprising front and rear periorate plates and an intermediate pertorate layer between said plates extending across the pertorations in said plates, said intermediate perforate layer formed with recurrent elevations and depressions and with slanting portions extending slantingly between perforations of opposite ones of said plates 'for the purpose described.

2. A visitors partition of the character described, comprising' front and rear perforate plates, the pertorations lsaid .trent plate 3. A visitors partitionot the character dei scribed comprising a iront plate and a-rear plate having a space therebetween, said front plate and se'd rcarplate cach provided with holes, the holes in said front plate and in said rear plate arranged in off-set relations so that the holes in each plate are opposed by the body portions ol' the opposite plate across said space, and an intermediate perforate layer in said space, the perforations of said intermediate layer being smaller than said holes,

n said intermediate layer formed into recurrent oppositely extending elevations and corresponding depressions, adjacent ones of said oppositely extending elevations located proximate to and across the inner ends of adjacent holes respectively in said front plate and said rear plate and the plane ot' that portion of the body ot said intermediate layer located between adjacent holes in opposite plates extending in slanting direction between said adjacent holes in said opposite plates, for the purpose described.

4. A visitors partition of the character described comprising a front plate and a rear plate having a space therebetween, said front plate and said rear plate each provided with holes substantially equally spaced apart, the holes in said plates arranged in off-set relation to each other so that the holes in each plate are opposite the body `portions between holes of the opposite plate, andan intermediate pertorate layer insaid space between said plates, said intermediate layer formed with slanting pertorate portions extending slantingly between said plates, and constructed and arranged whereby sound proceeding through the holes in one plate is deflected between said plates through the pertorationsof said intermediate layer and through the holes in the other of said plates.

5.V A visitors partition of the character described comprising front and rear resistant plates provided with opposite portions provided with holes, the holes in one plate being in non-registry with the holes in the other plate at such opposite portions of such plates, said plates being provided with registering observation openings in adjacency to said first-named portions, shatter resistant window sheets closing said openings, and an intermediate perforate layer provided with recurrent elevations and depressions between said first-named portions across said. holes v and slantincf portions of said intermediate layer exten ing slantingly between holes of opposite plates, for the purpose described.

6. A visitors partition of the charac-ter described comprising front and rear resistant plates provided with opposite portions for oral communication provided with non-registering holes, said plates provided with registering observation openings in adjacency to said first-namedportions, fillerbars between said plates forming recessed marginal Wallsrt'or said tirst-named portions and Asaid openings, the portions of said iiller-bars forming marginal Walls for said openings being of greater thickness than the thickness of the balance of said filler-bars, a perforat-e layer providedivith complemental elevations and depressionsV between said recessed inarginal walls for said first-named portions eX tending across said holes and having portions extending slantingly between said plates, and shatter-resistant Window sheets extending across said openings between said recessed marginal Walls lot `greater thickness, said shatter-resistant Window sheets being of greater thickness than the thickness of said formed perforate layer, and one of said plates provided with an outward bulge at said Walls of `greater thickness and at said Window sheets, and means for'releasably securing said last-named plate in association with said .tiller bars.

In testimony whereof, I have Vhereunto signed my name.

GEORGE J. KOSTERS. 

